Giant Lantern Festival 2024-2025 in Philippines

The Giant Lantern Festival, also known as Ligligan Parul, in the city of San Fernando is an annual event that takes place during the month of December, the peak Christmas season in the Philippines. The festival, which dates back to 1204, originates in a religious ritual known as 'lubenas.'

Giant Lantern Festival Highlights

The Giant Lantern Festival Competition, which takes place in mid-December, is the main highlight of the festival. The main contestants are local communities, or barangay, such as Brgy. Del Pilar, Dolores and Pandaras. Skillful creators of giant lanterns showcase their masterpieces made of fiberglass and paper.

Usually, one lantern displays a plethora of colors and forms. At first, the lanterns were made of simple available materials, such as bamboo. However, the tradition progressed, and the lanterns became bigger and more complicated.

Nowadays, this festival is a display of electrical engineering possibilities. Large steel rotors replaced the hand-controlled switches to operate the lights. A modern 20-foot (6-m) lantern consists of 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs. The festival is so popular among natives and tourists that the city of San Fernando is considered to be the Christmas capital of the country.

After the competition, the giant lanterns are exhibited at various venues across the city for about two weeks, drawing hundreds of thousands of domestic and international travellers.

Location

The Philippine Giant Lantern Festival lights up the city of San Fernando, in the heart of Pampanga, Philippines. Although the specific venues within the city may vary each year, the festival always takes place within the beautiful surroundings of San Fernando. This vibrant location serves as the perfect backdrop for the spectacular light displays and the joyful atmosphere that attracts both locals and tourists during the holiday season.

Festival History

The festival of giant lanterns has its roots in the Catholics of Bacolor, which was once the capital. They brought lanterns during a procession with images of patron saints. In 1904, the capital was moved to São Fernando. It is believed that the tradition of lighting lanterns was transferred to the new location along with this move.

It is also believed that the festival in San Fernando was founded by Francisco Estanislao in 1908. At that time, people followed a religious practice called 'lubenas', which, in turn, was derived from 'novenas.' Prayers were said during the nine days preceding the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.

In 1931, electricity revolutionized the Giant Lantern Festival, allowing the lanterns to grow larger and their designs to become more intricate. The traditional five-pointed star design evolved into various other shapes, showcasing the creativity and innovation that the festival is known for today.